Whittle a spoon from a single piece of wood

There is a smell to fresh-cut willow, something between grass and wet stone, that vanishes within a week once the wood dries and stiffens. That window is the whole point: green timber gives way under a knife, while seasoned wood fights back and cracks. You rough out the shape with a straight blade, then work the hollow with a hook knife, curling off shavings that catch in your sleeves. Most first attempts wobble on the table and taper unevenly. It takes three to six hours, more if you stop to argue with the grain, and you finish with a spoon too rough for guests but perfect for stirring porridge alone at seven in the morning.